Method for determining a rotational angle or a distance by evaluating phase measured values

ABSTRACT

The invention proposes a method for determining a rotation angle or distance by evaluating a multitude of phase measurement values. By means of a linear transformation A, the phase values measured in an N-dimensional space are projected into N-1 new signals S i . These signals S i  are transformed by a quantizing device into corresponding integer values W i  and converted into N real values Z i  by means of a linear projection C. These values have weighted phase measurement values α i  added to them in modulo 2π fashion, which yields N estimates for the angle φ to be measured. The N estimates are corrected if needed at their skip points and are added up in a weighted fashion, taking into account their phase angle.

PRIOR ART

Some technical measuring tasks yield several phase measurement values; the quantity to be measured, e.g. an angle or a distance to a target, must be determined from among these phase measurement values.

Examples of this include:

Distance measurement with RADAR or with modulated laser light. N measurements are carried out with different frequencies f₁ . . . f_(N). At the reception point, the signals reflected by the target at a distance of x have the following phase shifts (c=the speed of light): $\alpha_{i} = \frac{2 \cdot \pi \cdot f_{i} \cdot 2 \cdot x}{c}$

The phase shifts are thus proportional to the quantity to be measured and to the frequency used. However, the actual measurement values of the phases always lie in the range from 0 to 2π, i.e. they are always determined only up to integral multiples of 2π.

Optical angle transmitter: scanning of N optical ruled gratings. N traces are placed on a disk or a cylinder with optical ruled gratings. In one rotation, there are therefore n_(i) periods or marks. If the phase positions of the traces are measured with the aid of optoelectronic detectors in relation to a fixed measurement window, then this yields the phase positions:

 α=n _(i)·φ

The phases are thus proportional to the torsion angle φ and the periodicities n_(i). Here, too, the actual measurement values always lie in the range from 0 to 2π.

The following methods are known for evaluating these signals, i.e. for determining x and φ:

Classic Vernier Method:

The difference between 2 measurement angles is calculated; if it is less than 0, then 2π is added. This method has serious limitations: measurement errors in the angles have a significant impact on the end result; in addition, the method only works if the two periodicities being considered differ by precisely 1.

Modified Vernier Method (See DE P 19506938):

From 2 measurement angles, the value of the quantity to be measured is determined through weighted addition and the further addition of an angular range-dependent constant. The advantage therein is that measurement errors in the angles are reduced by a factor of <1.

Cascaded, Modified Vernier Method:

The modified vernier method is used multiply for a number of traces in a hierarchical arrangement.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to obtain an optimal, unambiguous phase measurement value from N multivalued, distorted phase signals α_(i), wherein the disadvantages of the known methods are circumvented.

Possible uses include tasks in which a high-precision, robust measurement value must be determined from among a number of phase signals, e.g.:

multi-frequency distance measurement

angle measurement

combined angle- and torque measurement

using RADAR, laser, optical, magnetic, or other sensor principles.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The invention permits direct, optimal, non-hierarchical evaluation of N phase signals.

In contrast with the known methods, virtually any periodicity n_(i) can be used. Measurement errors in the individual phase signals are clearly reduced. The inclusion of a number of phase traces can achieve a distinctly increased tolerance with regard to measurement errors.

In particular, the invention is suited to optimally evaluating the signals of an optical TAS (torque angle sensor).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 7 shows a block circuit diagram and FIG. 8 shows a detail of the invention.

A sensor (FIG. 7, e.g. an optical angle sensor with N traces) supplies the N measured angle values α_(i), i=1 . . . N. When the sensor sweeps for one rotation (2π) over mechanical torsion angles to be determined, then the phase angles α_(i) sweep n_(i) . . . n_(N) times over the measuring region 2π. The values n₁ . . . n_(N) are the periodicities of the individual traces.

The angle values, which are usually in digital form, first undergo a simple linear transformation A. This turns the N angle values into N−1 new signals S_(i) so that ideal angle values are mapped in an integral (N−1)-dimensional grid. For example, the transformation can be executed as follows: $S_{i} = \frac{{\alpha_{i + 1} \cdot n_{i}} - {\alpha_{i} \cdot n_{i + 1}}}{2 \cdot \pi \cdot {{ggT}\left( {n_{i},n_{i + 1}} \right)}}$

Where ggT is the greatest common devisor of the numbers involved.

If there are measurement errors in the angle values, then this causes the signals S_(i) to lie not exactly on the integral grid, but only in the vicinity of it. With the aid of a quantizing device, the signals S_(i) are projected onto the integer values W_(i), which lie on above-mentioned grid, and thus the effects of the measurement errors are eliminated.

Then the (N−1) values W_(i) undergo a simple linear projection C, which yields N real values Z_(i). These values Z_(i) are proportional to the number of periods of the corresponding angle value α_(i) that have been passed through.

These values Z_(i) have the weighted angle values as added to them. This addition is executed in modulo 2π fashion. The weighting factors and the above-mentioned linear projection C are selected so that after the addition, N estimates are obtained for the angle φ to be measured.

Then these estimates are added up in a weighted fashion. In some instances, a correction must be made here, since angle values in the vicinity of 0 and in the vicinity of 2π must be considered to be neighboring.

Example: 2 values of 0.01π and 1.97π must each be added to weights of 0.5.

(0.01π+2π)/2+1.977π=1.99π

This means that 2π is added to one value in order bring it into the vicinity of the other.

Finally, this yields the optimal measurement value φ_(meas).

FIG. 8 shows the block circuit diagram of the above-mentioned quantizing device.

As mentioned above, the signals S_(i) lie in the vicinity of an integral grid. Frequently, depending on the periodicities and transformations, however, only very particular positions of the integral grid are occupied. A direct rounding of the values S_(i) would frequently lead to incorrect results since the rounding also yields grid points that are not permitted. For this reason, the values S_(i) are converted by means of a simple transformation B into the values T_(i), wherein the values T_(i) also lie in the vicinity of integral grid points, but with the difference that all integral grid positions are permitted.

A rounding of the values T_(i) converts them into the N−1 integer values U_(i), which describe the association of a measurement point to a grid point.

However, the respective rounding of T_(i) can also result in a value U_(i), that is too high by 1 or too low by 1. Therefore, first the difference T_(i)−U_(i) (i=1 . . . N−1) is calculated, which describes the distance of the measurement point to the rounded grid point in the direction i. In a region correction device, these distances are compared to predetermined limits and a determination is made as to whether the measurement value needs to be associated with a neighboring point of the grid. This yields N−1 correction values, which can assume the values −1, 0, or 1. These correction values are added to the U_(i) and yield the corrected values V_(i).

By means of simple transformation B⁻¹, the corrected values are then transformed back to the original grid, in which the values S_(i) lie in the ideal case. B⁻¹ is the exact opposite of the transformation B.

Example for N=3 Traces

The periodicities are n₁=5, n₂=4, n₃=3. At the top, FIG. 1 shows the course of the mechanical angle φ to be determined, and below this, shows the three phase measurement values α_(i) (encumbered with measurement errors of ±20°).

The transformation A reads as follows in matrix notation: $\begin{matrix} {A = {\frac{1}{2 \cdot \pi} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 4 & {- 5} & 0 \\ 0 & 3 & {- 4} \end{bmatrix}}} \\ {\begin{bmatrix} S_{1} \\ S_{2} \end{bmatrix} = {A \cdot \begin{bmatrix} \alpha_{1} \\ \alpha_{2} \\ \alpha_{3} \end{bmatrix}}} \end{matrix}$

FIG. 2 shows the points S after the transformation.

FIG. 3 shows the measurement points mapped in the T plane. The necessary transformation B reads as follows in matrix notation: $\begin{matrix} {B = {\frac{1}{4} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 2 & 2 \\ 1 & {- 1} \end{bmatrix}}} \\ {\begin{bmatrix} T_{1} \\ T_{2} \end{bmatrix} = {B \cdot \begin{bmatrix} S_{1} \\ S_{2} \end{bmatrix}}} \end{matrix}$

For purposes of explaining the necessary region correction, FIG. 4 depicts the T plane when there are higher measurement errors of ±45°, ±60°, and ±45°.

In some cases, the contour causes the subsequent rounding to integer values to result in an incorrect association. FIG. 5 shows the (T-U) plane divided into zones. In the middle zone (3), the rounding has been successful, in the zones 1, 2, 4, & 5, corrections are necessary, which are calculated by the region correction device and are then added to the U values:

Zone Action 1 V₁ = U₁ V₂ = U₂ + 1 2 V₁ = U₁ − 1 V₂ = U₂ 3 V₁ = U₁ V₂ = U₂ 4 V₁ = U₁ V₂ = U₂ − 1 5 V₁ = U₁ + 1 V₂ = U₂

The zones are selected to be dependent on the periodicities so that up to a maximal permissible measurement error of the phase values, no grid skips occur.

The subsequent transformation B⁻¹ has the form: $\begin{matrix} {B^{- 1} = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2 \\ 1 & {- 2} \end{bmatrix}} \\ {\begin{bmatrix} W_{1} \\ W_{2} \end{bmatrix} = {B^{- 1} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} V_{1} \\ V_{2} \end{bmatrix}}} \end{matrix}$

The linear projection C has the form: $\begin{matrix} {C = {2 \cdot \pi \cdot \begin{bmatrix} \frac{1}{5} & 0 \\ \frac{1}{4} & 0 \\ 0 & \frac{1}{3} \end{bmatrix}}} \\ {\begin{bmatrix} Z_{1} \\ Z_{2} \\ Z_{3} \end{bmatrix} = {C \cdot \begin{bmatrix} W_{1} \\ W_{2} \end{bmatrix}}} \end{matrix}$

After the measurement values as are weighted, they are added to the values Z_(i). This addition is executed in modulo 2π fashion. This yields N estimates for the angle φ. The weights for the angle values α₁, α₂, α₃ in this case are ⅕, ¼, and ⅓.

FIG. 6 shows the 3 estimates produced, underneath which their (corrected) average value is depicted, which represents the measurement value.

Embodiments

If the angle values are depicted in binary fashion, normalized to 2π, then all necessary multiplications can be executed integrally or rationally

The region correction of the quantizing device can be achieved through calculation (comparison of the measurement point to the region boundaries) or through tabulation (e.g. ROM table)

The method is particularly suited for use with a TAS (torque angle sensor)

With a suitable choice of the periodicities, output signals can also be achieved, which produce more than one period over a single rotation

The necessary transformation matrices A, B, B⁻¹, C and the region boundaries of the region correction only have to be determined once when the system is designed

The method can also be transferred to other systems, which supply corresponding output signals, e.g. linear transmitters and multifrequency distance measuring systems

The transformations and projections to be carried out one after another can be advantageously combined, i.e. (B*A), (C*B⁻¹), which reduces the effort involved

In the example described, the measurement errors in the measurement signals α_(1 . . . 3) are simultaneously permitted to be up to ±45°, ±60°, ±45°. Known methods do not achieve nearly this error tolerance. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for determining a rotation angle or distance by evaluating a multitude of phase measurement values, which are recorded by a sensor during the scanning of a transmitter, characterized in that the phase measurement values are evaluated in the following steps: A sensor supplies N measured phase measurement values α_(i)=φ·n_(i), each in a range from 0 to 2π, where n_(i) is the number of periods, a linear transformation A is used to project the existing phase measurement values α_(i) into N−1 new signals S_(i) in an N−1-dimensional space, the N−1 projected signals are transformed by a quantizing device into N−1 integer values W_(i), which lie on a grid, the transformed N−1 values W_(i) are converted into N real values Z_(i) by means of a linear projection C, the N real values Z_(i) have weighted phase measurement values α_(i) added to them in modulo 2π fashion, which yields N estimates for the angle φ to be measured and the N estimates for the angle φ to be measured are corrected if needed at their skip points and are added up in a weighted fashion, taking into account their phase angle.
 2. A method for determining a rotation angle or distance by evaluating a multitude of phase measurement values according to claim 1, characterized in that the evaluation takes place according to the classic vernier method, a modified vernier method, or a cascaded, modified vernier method. 